Padre Behavioral CEO leaving for med center

CORPUS CHRISTI - Padre Behavioral Hospital will lose CEO Susan Andrews at the end of the month, but she will remain in the city with a new job at Corpus Christi Medical Center.

Andrews will become the associate administrator, handling special projects for the center's four area hospitals -- Bay Area, Doctors Regional, the Heart Hospital and Northwest Hospital. She begins her new job on Feb. 11.

Andrews will leave Padre Behavioral, a 68-bed psychiatric and chemical detox facility, after leading it for six months. Her departure is amicable.

&quot;Everything is wonderful here at Padre Behavioral,&quot; Andrews said. &quot;I've been in (the) psychiatry (field) for many years, and this was an opportunity in a different type of setting.&quot;

Andrews said she was involved with the facility about 15 years ago, which is why she decided to move back from San Antonio in 2006. She said she is most proud of the hospital's staff and its dedication to its patients.

The hospital is in the midst of recruiting more psychiatrists and planning its expansion by 20 to 40 beds, said Jeff Parsons, interim CEO of Padre Behavioral and senior vice president of its parent company, Continuum Health Care. He said conceptual drawings for the addition are being developed, and he hopes to complete the expansion in the next three to four months.

The hospital has more than 100 employees and has operated as Padre Behavioral under Continuum Health Care for the past two years, Parsons said. It offers acute psychiatric and detoxification for children, adolescents and adults.